Electrical terminal



Nov. 15, 1938. J. s. MARTIN 5,

4 ELECTRICAL TERMINAL Filed Sept. 6, 1935 llllfl lllllmllllIlllllih-Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL TERMINALJames S. Martin, Springfield, Ill., assignor to Sangamo ElectricCompany, Springfield, 111., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationSeptember 6, 1935, Serial No. 39,421

3 Claims. (01. 173-259) This invention relates generally to electricalFurthermore, where the conductor is merely terminals, and' is moreparticularly concerned wrapped about the post, the application of toowith electrical terminal assemblies of the type much pressure on theconductor by the nut is commonly mounted upon and carried by electricalapt to sever part of the conductor or to force the apparatus, such aselectric meters and the like, conductor away from the shank of the post,5 for receiving relatively small. sized conductors. ,thereby resultingin a faulty connection. Like- These conductors electrically connectvarious wise, in this latter method of making a connecpieces ofelectrical apparatus together, and it is tion, if tension is placed uponthe conductor, or of prime importance that the terminal assemif theterminal assembly is subjected to vibral0 blies be of such a nature thata positive mechanition, the conductor is apt to loosen under the cal andelectrical connection can bemade between nut, thereby de oy t e Clampingaction of the conductor and the terminal assembly with the nut with theconductor and the head or rapidity and facility. mounting plate of thepost, resulting in a faulty Heretofore, it has been the general practiceconnection.

to provide electrical apparatus with a terminal .Broadly, the a O j ofthe P t 15 assembly comprising a binding post having a nut ventlonresides in the construction of a terminal threaded thereon, andconnection between the assembly of s a nature that a p v conductor andthe terminal assembly has genchanical andelectrical connection can bemade erally been established in one of three different between e ee ducend the rminal asse ways. Most often, the conductor was merely-Withrap1dity and facility- In t preferred form, 0

wrapped about the shank of the post and fricthe terminal assemblymprises abase or mounttionally held between the nut and the head of 8plate having One leg of right angle c p the post, or between the nut andthe mounting S c ed t e e Other leg of the p plate of the post. In somecases, the free end tends Parallel to a is spaced ov the plate of theconductor has been bent back upon itself at its forward ca a lockingscrew 25 in the form of a loop and the terminal end of the which hasthreaded engagement in the P en loop then wrapped about the conductorand solmaking a Connection, the conductor is merely dered thereto, toform a closed loop at the end slipped between the Plate and the p andthey of the conductor, while instill other cases, a seplocking Screwtightened to Clamp the ductor arat lug, m th form of a, l ed l ha btherebetween. The security of the connection is 30 soldered to the freeor terminal end of the conentirely ind p nd of an Contact we the ductor.In both of these latter cases, the loop conductor and the Screw and,eensequently, t embraces the ha k of t post and is damped terminalassembly is not subject to the disadbetween the nut and th head ormounting p1atevantages inherent in the above described types of 5 of thepost. terminal assembles formerly employed.

There are numerous objections to the above M 5De0ific811y,the1'ef0re,thepresent invendescribed construction of terminal assembly, and tion hasone of its Objects the P ion of the methods of connecting the conductorsthereterminal assembly for ce v a conductor,

" to. The connection is uncertain, both electrically Without thenecessity of formin IOODS ecurand mechanically, where the conductor ismerely e u s o e fre end eo 40 wrapped about the termi al pgsi; andclamped Another feature of the invention resides in by the nut; and, onthe other hand, a considerthe Particular manner attaching the clip toable amount of time is consumed in making a the plate- J nectio wh r thfree d of th conductors Still another feature of the invention residesis formed t closed loop and soldered, or in the provision of a. terminalassembly wherein 45 where a separate lug has to be soldered to the themain Derts ay be formed 0! metal pfree end of the conductor, In eachcase, the lugs or the like, and which are capable of ecoconductor mustbe accurately measured to maine nomical mass production and readyassembly.

, tain a fixed length of conductor between the Other objects andadvantages of e P sent devices which it electrically connects,- andlikeinvention will appear more fully from the follow- 0 wise, in eachcase, care must be exercised that ing detailed description which, takenin conthe nut is not turned down against the conducnection with theaccompanying drawing, will distor to the extent that the nut wouldserve' to close to those skilled in the art the particular rotate theconductor about the shank of the post, construction and operation of apreferred form '58, thereby resulting in breakage of the conductor. ofthe invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an enlarged'perspective view, partly in section, of aterminal assembly embodying the principles of the present; invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the mounting plate for theclip, and showing a slot formed in the plate for receiving the clip;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the clip; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevational view showing a conductorclamped between the mounting plate and clip.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the

terminal assembly of the present invention comprises a base or mountingplate 5, which may be stamped from any preferred conducting material.The mounting plate shown is a flat rectangular plate intended for usewith an electric meter, but it is to be understood that the invention isnot to be restricted to this particular shape of the plate, as any othersuitable shape of mounting plate may be employed, the only requirementbeing that it permit of mounting the clip thereon in the mannerhereinafter described. As a general rule, the particular shape of theplate will be determined by the form of the particular electrical devicewith which it is to be employed. As shown, plate 5 is provided with aslot 8 which is cut entirely through the plate and extendslongitudinally thereof. Substantially centrally of its length, the slotis provided with an enlarged circular opening, as indicated at I. Theslot is adapted to receive andmount one leg of a right angle clip,indicated generally at 8. While the slot is shown as being locatedadjacent to one end of the plate, it is to be understood that it may belocated at any other desired point on the plate, and, if desired,additional slots may be formed in the plate for receiving additionalclips.

Clip 8 may be stamped from any preferred flat stock conducting material.The clip is then bent to the form shown to provide a downwardlyextending leg, indicated generally at 9, and the horizontally extendingleg, indicated generally at l0, extending substantially at right anglesto each other. Substantially midway of its vertical height, leg 9 isprovided with slots II and II, which extend inwardly from the oppositemarginal edges thereof. This slotting of leg 9 forms, in effect, aninverted T having the flanges l3 and I4 connected to the clip by leg |5of the T.

Clip 8 is mounted upon plate 5 by first inserting the flanges l3 and I4,which are of slightly less thickness than the width of slot 6,, throughslot 8, and with the portion I5 of vertical leg 9 disposed in theenlarged portion 1 of the slot. It

will be noted, at this time, that the horizontal leg III will extendtransversely of the plate 5. By

now rotating leg in of the clip through substantially a right angle, theleg l5 of the clip being permitted to rotate by virtue of the enlargedportion I of the slot, the flanges |3 and I4 will be revolved intolocking positions beneath solid portions of the plate 5. Slots II and I2are slightly larger in width than the thickness of plate 5 to permit ofa slight rocking movement of clip I with respect to the plate, theshoulders l6 and I1 and the flanges i3 and ll of the clip serving tolimit the extent of such rocking movement and also vertical movement ofthe clip with respect to the plate.

After the clip is rotated as above described, leg in of the clip willextend parallel to plate 5 and will be disposed above the plate 5 adistance approximately equal to the height of the shoulders |5.and I,the leg iii of clip 8 and the plate 5 thereby defining a space for thereception of a conductor iii. The height of these shoulders l6 and i1and, consequently, the height of the space It between clip 8 and plate 5may be proportioned to accommodate widely different sizes of conductorswhich it may be desired to employ in connection with the terminalassembly. As its forward end leg 10 is provided with an aperture 20 forloosely receiving a threaded locking screw or bolt 2|, the aperturebeing substantially larger than the shank of the screw to enable thescrew to be passed therethrough even though the top portion of the clipis vertically inclined in accommodating different thicknesses ofconductors. This screw preferably, although not necessarily, has aportion 22 seating upon clip 8 and threads into an opening 23 formed inplate 5 immediately in front of slot 5. Preferably, the forward edge ofplate 5 is doubled back, as indicated at 24, to provide a relativelythick portion of metal for a greater length of threaded hole 23.

In connecting a conductor to the clip, the terminal end of the conductoris merely slipped into the space between the clip and the plate, andbetween the leg 9 of the clip and the screw 2|. By tightening screw 2|,the conductor will then be rigidly clamped to plate 5 by the clip.

The terminal accommodates strap types of conductors as shown, and ofwide or narrow widths, and also accommodates circular conductors. Theclip 8 is capable of vertical rocking movement about the T-shapedinterlocking head 9, and hence the clamping portion of the clip 9 can assume inclined positions for accommodating conductors of differentthicknesses.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that with the terminal assemblyof the present invention, a connection between such terminal assemblyand a conductor can be made with rapidity and facility. The timeconsumed in making numerous connections with terminals of the .aboveconstruction is considerably less than While a preferred embodiment ofthe invention has been illustrated and described by way of example, itwill be obvious that changes may be made therein withinthe spirit andscope of the invention, and, therefore, the invention is not to belimited to the form herein disclosed, except insofar as it may be solimited in the appended claims. For example, the plate 5, as anindependent element, might be eliminated by forming the slot 6 andthreaded hole .23 directly in some unitary part of the apparatus ordevice to which the electrical connection is to be made.

I claim:

1. A terminal assembly of the class described comprising a mountingplate having a slot formed therein, a. right angle clip, one of the legsof said clip having a plurality of slots formed therein and definingflanges disposed adjacent the lower end of said leg and shouldersdisposed adjacent the top of said leg, the other leg of said clip de+amazes fining with said plate a space for receiving a conductortherebetween, said flanges being adapted to be inserted through the slotin said plate and said clip to be rotated with respect to said plate todispose said flanges beneath said plate and said shoulders above saidplate to secure said clip to the plate, said flanges and shoulders beingdisposed in substantially the same plane and positioned relativelyclosely together to limit rocking movement of said clip with respect tosaid plate, and a locking screw bearing against the other leg of saidclip and threading into said plate, said conductor being receivedbetween said clip and plate and positionedbetween said screw andtheflrst named leg of said clip whereby tightening of said screw willrock said clip about said conductor to bring said flanges intoengagement with the under surface of said plate, said flanges therebyresisting tightening oi! said screw and cooperating with said screw toclamp said conductor between said clip and plate.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the slot in said plate is providedwith a substantially centrally disposed enlarged circular opening andthe width of the straight portions of said slot are substantially equalto the thickness of the slotted leg of said clip.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the plate has a portion thereofdoubled back upon itself to provide for a greater amount of metal forreception of the threaded portion or said locking screw.

JAMES S.

